Topical sanitizer and method of use with gloves

ABSTRACT

Topical sanitizer includes avenanthramides, which is an active component of oats that is beneficial to the skin. The topical sanitizer is used preferably in conjunction with gloves that have an inner coating that includes avenanthramides. By using topical sanitizer that includes avenanthramides before and after wearing gloves, the skin of the person wearing the glove is more exposed to the beneficial avenanthramides all during the workday, not just when wearing gloves. The result is healthier, much softer and more comfortable skin on the hands.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure generally relates to skin conditioning and protectingitems, and more specifically relates to a topical sanitizer, glove andsystem that conditions and treats the skin on a person's hands.

2. Background Art

Many people must wear gloves for most or all of their workday to protectfrom environmental challenges including infectious diseases, forexample, bacteria, viruses, or other contamination. For example, manydoctors, nurses, dentists, clean room operators, food production andfood service workers, sanitation workers, chemical plant workers,nuclear plant workers, welders, etc. wear gloves most of the day. Manypeople are required to change gloves many times a day. The most commontype of protective gloves are latex and nitrile disposable gloves.

While latex gloves have been used for decades, they have significantdrawbacks. For example, putting on latex gloves can be difficult becausethe latex has a tendency to bind to and stick to a person's skin. Tomake gloves easier to don (put on), latex gloves were made that includeda cornstarch powder on the interior surface of the glove. The cornstarchpowder made the glove much less likely to stick to a person's skin, andtherefor greatly enhanced the ease of donning gloves. However, thecornstarch powder can serve as a carrier for allergens in latex, causinggreater irritation to a person who has a sensitivity or allergy tolatex. Many other powders were developed as alternatives to cornstarchpowder for use on gloves.

One significant problem with powdered gloves is they cannot be used inmany circumstances. For example, a surgeon cannot wear powdered glovesfor fear of the powder dropping into the surgical site. Because thereare many situations where powdered gloves are not allowed or are notpreferred, various powder-free gloves have been developed.

A problem encountered by many people who wear protective gloves for mostof the workday is skin irritation. The gloves trap perspiration on theskin and do not allow air flow that would normally help to evaporate theperspiration, thereby subjecting a person's hands to a damp or wetenvironment for most of the day. This can lead to skin irritation. Thetypes of skin irritation caused by protective gloves have beenwell-documented over the years.

In an attempt to create gloves that are more friendly to the hands or ahuman who wears the gloves, various coatings for gloves have beendeveloped over the years. For example, coatings that include aloe vera,oat starch, colloidal oatmeal, and beta glucan have been developed. Eachof these has different properties and different beneficial effects. Notethat some of these coatings are in a powder form, while others arepowder-free.

Gloves that have coatings that are good for the skin are helpful whenwearing the glove, but are not beneficial once the gloves have beenremoved and discarded. When a person removes a glove, the persontypically cleanses his or her hands. When the person needs to put on anew pair of gloves, the person typically cleanses his or her handsagain, then puts on the new pair of gloves. For hand-washing, commonsoaps have harsh detergents that have a tendency to dry out the skin byremoving the oil on the skin. The repeated cleansing between glovechanges can dry out a person's skin and cause various skin problems. Thebenefit of wearing gloves that include coatings that are beneficial tothe skin may be reduced considerably by the repeated cleansing of thehands during the workday.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Topical sanitizer includes avenanthramides, which is an active componentof oats that is beneficial to the skin. The topical sanitizer is usedpreferably in conjunction with gloves that have an inner coating thatincludes avenanthramides. By using topical sanitizer that includesavenanthramides before and after wearing gloves, the skin of the personwearing the glove is more exposed to the beneficial avenanthramides allduring the workday, not just when wearing gloves. The result is muchhealthier, softer and more comfortable skin on the hands. A healthy skinoffers superior protection to environmental challenges and disease.

The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent fromthe following more particular description, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be described in conjunction with the appendeddrawings, where like designations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elastomeric glove;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastomeric gloveshown in FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an elastomeric glove on a person's hand;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the side wall of the elastomericglove shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for making topical sanitizer thatincludes avenanthramides;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for manufacturing an alcohol-basedtopical santizer that includes avenanthramides;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for manufacturing a foam soaptopical sanitizer or alcohol-free sanitizing foam topical sanitizer thatincludes avenanthramides;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method for manufacturing a foam soaptopical sanitizer or alcohol-free sanitizing foam topical sanitizer thatincludes avenanthramides and zinc acetate;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method for manufacturing an elastomericarticle such as a glove with a coating that includes avenanthramides onthe skin-contacting surface of the article;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method for using topical sanitizer thatincludes avenanthramides in conjunction with gloves that have an innercoating that includes avenanthramides;

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a method for conditioning skin on hands;and

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a hand care system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A sample glove 100 is shown in FIG. 1. Glove 100 could be made of anysuitable material including latex, nitrile, polyvinyl chloride,neoprene, polyvinyl alcohol, butyl laminated film, DuPont Viton butyl,etc. In addition, various woven gloves are used in a variety ofapplications and are lined with many different materials, includingDuPont Kevlar, nylon, lycra, terry, jersey, flocked fabric,polyester/cotton felt, woven knits, and interlocking knits. Thedisclosure and claims herein expressly extend to any suitable glove,whether disposable or not. Glove 100 includes an interiorskin-contacting portion 110 and an exterior portion 120. This is shownin more detail in FIG. 2. In the past, various powders have been appliedto the interior portion 110 of gloves, including talc, cornstarch, oatstarch and colloidal oatmeal. Other powder-free coatings have also beenused.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a powder free glove 300. Glove 300 includes aninner cavity that defines an inner surface 430 that contacts thewearer's hand and an outer surface 440, as shown in FIG. 4. Either orboth of surfaces 430 and 440 may include a dry coating, shown in FIG. 4as a layer 410 on the inner surface 430 and a layer 420 on the outersurface 440. Note that layer 420 on outer surface 440 is optional forsome glove applications, but many manufacturing methods for applyingcoating layer 410 to the inner surface 430 may also produce a residualcoating layer 420 on the outer surface 440 as well. As used herein,“powder free” means that the gloves, on average, have less than 2milligrams of particulate, when tested according to ASTM D6124.

As stated in the Background Art section above, wearing gloves all daylong can be hard on the skin of a person's hands. The gloves trapmoisture on the skin and inhibit air flow that prevents the normalevaporation of the moisture on the skin. As a result, many people whouse gloves extensively develop various forms of contact dermatitis, orskin irritation, that is caused by the gloves. Needless to say,subjecting already irritated skin to repeated irritations every day cancreate greater irritation. Sites of irritation may lead to a breakdownof the protective barrier role of the skin leaving the person vulnerableto infection. With many people whose jobs require they wear gloves, theyare left with few options for preventing or treating skin problems thatresult from wearing the gloves.

One way to potentially improve the problem of skin irritation due towearing gloves is to use gloves with a coating that is beneficial to theskin. Some dry powders have been developed, such as oat starch andcolloidal oatmeal, which are effective in delivering beneficialcomponents of oats to a person's hand while wearing the glove. Butpowdered coatings cannot be used or are not preferred in manyapplications. Other powder-free coatings have been developed, which arealso effective in delivering substances that are beneficial to skin tothe hand of the person who uses the glove, such as aloe vera and betaglucan.

While providing powdered or powder-free coatings on gloves can help tosoothe and treat a person's skin when wearing the glove, once the persontakes off the gloves, the person typically cleansing his or her hands,which may remove most of the beneficial components the glove coatingleft on the skin. Many people such as healthcare professionals must puton and take off gloves dozens of times each day, cleansing their handsbefore and after they take off gloves. Many soaps include harshdetergents that remove most of the natural oils in the outer layers ofskin. Thus, repeated washings throughout the workday cause the effect ofdrying out and irritating the skin, thereby limiting the benefit of thecoatings on the gloves.

The problem of skin irritation created by extensive hand washing arealleviated by the disclosure and claims herein. A topical sanitizercontains avenanthramides, which are a component of oats that has greatbenefits for the skin. As used herein, the term “sanitizer” refers to asubstance that cleanses the skin and kills germs. Recent research hasshown that avenanthramides are the components in oats that provideanti-irritant properties to skin. Avenanthramides may be extracted fromoats using any suitable process, including the process disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 6,818,232 issued on Nov. 16, 2004 to Redmond et al. The topicalsanitizer may be a foam soap, so a person who is used to washing his orher hands before donning gloves and after removing gloves can continuethe normal routine by substituting the foam soap for the normal soap,and by substituting gloves that include a coating of avenanthramides onthe inner skin-contacting surface of the gloves. In the alternative, thetopical sanitizer may be an alcohol-based gel or an alcohol-free foam.These allow a person to cleanse and sanitize his or her hands beforedonning gloves and after removing gloves without washing with water. Thetopical sanitizers disclosed herein contain relatively low levels ofdetergent to avoid drying out the skin, in addition to avenanthramidesto treat the skin, and may also optionally include zinc as a skinprotectant. When a person sanitizes his or her hands with the topicalsanitizer disclosed herein, the result is a residual coating ofavenanthramides on the skin, which provides great benefit to the skin.Thus, the invention disclosed herein allows a person constantly to haveavenanthramides on his or her skin, whether wearing gloves or not. Theresult is a significant decrease in skin irritation on a person's handsthat would normally occur from extensive wearing of gloves.

Referring to FIG. 5, a method 500 combines ingredients to make a topicalsanitizer (step 510). These ingredients include avenanthramides (step520), and may also include zinc. Note the term “topical sanitizer” meansany substance that includes avenanthramides that may be used to sanitizea person's hands, including without limitations gels, foams, soaps, etc.The disclosure and claims herein expressly details three specificembodiments of topical sanitizer, namely alcohol-based gel, foam soap,and alcohol-free foam.

Referring to FIG. 6, a method 600 for making an alcohol-based topicalsanitizer starts by adding Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC) toethanol while agitating to make a slurry (step 610). The mixture ismixed until the HPMC is wetted-out (step 620). Mixing for 10 minutes isnormally sufficient to wet-out the HPMC. Water is then added to theslurry while mixing (step 630). The resulting mixture is then mixeduntil the mixture is smooth and lump-free (step 640). Mixing for 45minutes is typically sufficient. The mixing speed is then reduced so themixture “turns over” (step 650). Other ingredients includingavenanthramides are added while mixing (step 660). The mixture is thenmixed well (step 670). Mixing for 10 more minutes is typicallysufficient. Because the ethanol can easily evaporate in an open system,the preferred mixing system used in method 600 is a closed system.

One form of avenanthramides that is commercially available is a productknown as colloidal oat extract distributed by Ceapro, Inc., Suite 4174Enterprise Square, 10320 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J4P6. The colloidal oat extract is formulated to 100 parts per million(ppm) avenanthramides in a glycerin:water 1:1 base. For example, thecolloidal oat extract could be made by preparing a solution of 10 mgavenanthramides in 50 grams of water and 50 grams of glycerin. Becausethe colloidal oat extract includes glycerin and water, the amount ofcolloidal oat extract to use in the formulations below can be determinedmathematically from the avenanthramides concentration, which will resultin a corresponding reduction in the amount of glycerin needed.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the alcohol-basedsanitizing gel are preferably:

Ethanol (Absolute Ethyl alcohol) >62 grams Glycerin >0.1 grams Vitamin EUSP (DL-alpha tocopheryl >0.1 grams acetate) Hydroxy Propyl MethylCellulose >1 grams (HPMC) Avenanthramides >0.3 ppm Deionized waterbalance to make 100 gram batch

A suitable combination of these ranges will preferably sum to 100 grams,which means the numbers also express a percentage of each ingredient byweight in the gel. The alcohol-based sanitizing gel may also includezinc acetate. Zinc acetate is a proven skin protectant, and has receiveda USP monograph as a skin protectant. For the specific formulationabove, a range of 0.1 to 2.0 grams of zinc acetate could be added to themixture to enhance the skin-protecting properties of the alcohol-basedsanitizer gel.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the alcohol-basedsanitizing gel are more preferably:

Ethanol (Absolute Ethyl alcohol) 0.62-80 grams Glycerin 1.0-2.0 gramsVitamin E USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl 0.2-1.0 grams acetate) Hydroxy PropylMethyl Cellulose 1.0-1.75 grams (HPMC) Avenanthramides 0.4-10 ppmDeionized water balance to make 100 gram batchZinc acetate could also be added to this formulation. A range of 0.1 to0.5 grams of zinc acetate could be added to the mixture to enhance theskin-protecting properties of the alcohol-based sanitizer gel.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the alcohol-basedsanitizing gel are most preferably:

Ethanol (Absolute Ethyl alcohol) 65.00 grams Glycerin 1.50 grams VitaminE USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl 0.5 grams acetate) Hydroxy Propyl MethylCellulose 1.50 grams (HPMC) Avenanthramides 1.0 ppm Deionized waterbalance to make 100 gram batch

Note these ingredients sum to 100 grams, which means the numbers alsoexpress a percentage of each ingredient by weight in the gel. Zincacetate could also be added to this formulation. The most preferredproportion of zinc acetate is 0.2 percent by weight of the alcohol-basedsanitizer gel. Note the addition of zinc acetate will require acorresponding reduction in one of the other ingredients to keep thetotal weight of the formulation at 100 grams, so the numbers stillreflect percent by weight of the total. In this most preferredimplementation, the amount of deionized water is reduced to account forthe addition of the zinc acetate. Because zinc is a skin protectant,adding zinc acetate to the alcohol-based sanitizer gel allows thealcohol-based sanitizer gel to claim skin protectant properties.

A second specific embodiment of the topical sanitizer is a foam soapthat includes avenanthramides. A method 700 in FIG. 7 represents amethod that may be used to make foam soap. Method 700 begins bypremixing the surfactant phase ingredients, specifically the PEG-80sorbitan laurate, sodium trideceth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, andPEG-150 distearate in a suitable volume of water, such as 50 grams,warmed preferably to a temperature of 35 to 45° C. (step 710). Theactive ingredients including the avenanthramides, and vitamin E are thenadded slowly to the warm water while gently mixing (step 720). Themixing speed is increased to homogenize the mixture (step 730). Mixingcontinues until the mixture is homogenized (step 740). Lactic acid isthen added to adjust the pH of the mixture (step 750). The quantity oflactic acid may vary due to variations in the other ingredients. The pHhas a preferred range of 4.0 to 6.0, has a more preferred range of 4.5to 5.5, and is most preferably approximately 5.0.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the foam soap arepreferably:

PEG-80 sorbitan laurate 5-40 grams Sodium trideceth sulfate 5-40 gramsCocamidopropyl betaine 1-10 grams PEG-150 distearate >1 gramAvenanthramides >0.4 ppm Vitamin E USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl >0.1 gramsacetate) Lactic acid (90%) q.s. Deionized water balance to make 100 grambatch

In accordance with method 700 in FIG. 7, the PEG-80 sorbitan laurate,sodium trideceth sulfate, and cocamidopropyl betaine are premixed with asuitable quantity (such as 50 grams) of water in step 710 and gentlymixed. The active ingredients including avenanthramides and vitamin Eare added and mixed (step 720). The mixing speed is then increased (step730) and the batch is mixed until homogenized (step 740). Lactic acid isthen added to adjust the pH (step 750). The quantity of lactic acidvaries due to variability of the other ingredients. The term “q.s.” usedabove to indicate the amount of lactic acid is known in the art to be anabbreviation for “Quantum Sufficiat”, a Latin term meaning a sufficientquantity. Once enough lactic acid has been added to achieve the desiredpH, water is added to bring the batch to 100 grams total weight.

A suitable combination of these ranges will preferably sum to 100 grams,which means the numbers also express a percentage of each ingredient byweight in the foam soap. Zinc acetate could also be added to thisformulation. The preferred proportion of zinc acetate is 0.1-2.0 percentby weight of the foam soap. The more preferred proportion of zincacetate is 0.1-0.5 percent by weight of the foam soap. The mostpreferred proportion of zinc acetate is 0.2 percent by weight of thefoam soap.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the foam soap are morepreferably:

PEG-80 sorbitan laurate 10-30 grams Sodium trideceth sulfate 10-30 gramsCocamidopropyl betaine 2-15 grams PEG-150 distearate 1-10 gramsAvenanthramides 0.4-10 ppm Vitamin E USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl 0.2-1.0grams acetate) Lactic acid (90%) q.s. Deionized water balance to make100 gram batchAs above, zinc acetate could also be added to provide skin protectantproperties for the foam soap in the ranges or specific proportiondiscussed above.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the foam soap are mostpreferably:

PEG-80 sorbitan laurate 15 grams Sodium trideceth sulfate 15 gramsCocamidopropyl betaine 3.33 grams PEG-150 distearate 1.6 gramsAvenanthramides 1.0 ppm Vitamin E USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl 0.5 gramsacetate) Lactic acid (90%) q.s. Deionized water balance to make 100 grambatchAs above, zinc acetate could also be added to provide skin protectantproperties for the foam soap in the ranges or specific proportiondiscussed above. For the proportions shown above, 0.20 grams of zincacetate is added, with a corresponding reduction in the amount of waterby 0.20 grams to keep the total at 100 grams so the proportions reflectpercentages by weight in the foam soap.

Method 800 in FIG. 8 shows one suitable method for including zincacetate in the foam soap. The steps 710, 720, 730, 740 and 750 are thesame as the steps shown in FIG. 7. The difference in FIG. 8 is theaddition of the zinc acetate in step 810. Because zinc acetate is a skinprotectant, adding zinc acetate to the foam soap allows the foam soap toclaim skin protectant properties.

The methods shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 may also be used to manufacture analcohol-free sanitizing foam. While the process is similar, the specificingredients and their proportions are different. One ingredient that isadded is benzalkonium chloride, which is available under the name Nobacfrom Mason Chemical Co., 721 West Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights,Ill. 60005. The specific ingredients and proportions for thealcohol-free sanitizing foam are preferably:

PEG-80 sorbitan laurate 0.83-6.67 grams Sodium trideceth sulfate0.83-6.67 grams Cocamidopropyl betaine 0.16-1.67 grams PEG-150distearate >0.16 grams Avenanthramides >0.4 ppm Vitamin E USP (DL-alphatocopheryl >0.1 grams acetate) Benzalkonium Chloride 0.1-1.0 gramsLactic acid (90%) q.s. Deionized water balance to make 100 gram batch

A suitable combination of these ranges will preferably sum to 100 grams,which means the numbers also express a percentage of each ingredient byweight in the foam soap. Zinc acetate could also be added to thisformulation. The preferred proportion of zinc acetate is 0.1-2.0 percentby weight of the alcohol-free sanitizing foam. The more preferredproportion of zinc acetate is 0.1-0.5 percent by weight of thealcohol-free sanitizing foam. The most preferred proportion of zincacetate is 0.2 percent by weight of the alcohol-free sanitizing foam.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the alcohol-free sanitizingfoam are more preferably:

PEG-80 sorbitan laurate 1.67-5.0 grams Sodium trideceth sulfate 1.67-5.0grams Cocamidopropyl betaine 0.33-2.5 grams PEG-150 0.16-1.6 gramsAvenanthramides 0.4-10 ppm Vitamin E USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl 0.2-1.0grams acetate) Benzalkonium Chloride 0.1-0.2 grams Lactic acid (90%)q.s. Deionized water balance to make 100 gram batchAs above, zinc acetate could also be added to provide skin protectantproperties for the foam soap in the ranges or specific proportiondiscussed above.

The specific ingredients and proportions for the alcohol-free sanitizingfoam are most preferably:

PEG-80 sorbitan laurate 2.5 grams Sodium trideceth sulfate 2.5 gramsCocamidopropyl betaine 0.55 grams PEG-150 distearate 0.27 gramsAvenanthramides 1.0 ppm Vitamin E USP (DL-alpha tocopheryl 0.5 gramsacetate) Benzalkonium Chloride 0.13 grams Lactic acid (90%) q.s.Deionized water balance to make 100 gram batchAs stated above, zinc acetate could also be added to this alcohol-freesanitizing foam in the ranges or specific proportion discussed above.For the proportions shown above, 0.20 grams of zinc acetate is added,with a corresponding reduction in the amount of water by 0.20 grams tokeep the total at 100 grams so the proportions reflect percentages byweight in the alcohol-free sanitizing foam.

The topical sanitizers disclosed herein, namely the alcohol-basedsanitizing gel, the foam soap, and the alcohol-free sanitizing form, maybe used in conjunction with gloves that have a coating that includesavenanthramides and optionally includes zinc acetate so the glovesprovide skin conditioning and protecting properties to the hands of thewearer of the gloves. Referring to FIG. 9, a method 900 shows how suchgloves may be manufactured. First, the elastomeric article is formed(step 910). A glove is one suitable example of an elastomeric article. Aliquid that includes avenanthramides is then applied to theskin-contacting interior surface of the elastomeric article (step 920).Note the liquid applied in step 920 could optionally include zincacetate, which provide skin protecting properties to the liquid. Theliquid is then dried, resulting in a powder-free coating on theskin-contacting surface of the elastomeric article (step 930). Whengloves are manufactured in accordance with method 900 in FIG. 9, wearingthe gloves imparts the avenanthramides (and zinc, if present) to theskin on the hands of the person wearing the gloves. Becauseavenanthramides are the active ingredients in oats that provide thewell-documented benefits of oats, such gloves are greatly beneficial tothe skin. However, using gloves with avenanthramides solves only part ofthe problem. When a person takes off the gloves and washes his or herhands, the avenanthramides that were put onto the hands by the glovesmay be reduced by washing. However, using one of the topical sanitizersdisclosed herein results in avenanthramides (and zinc, if present) beingavailable on the skin during the entire workday, both while wearing thegloves and after removing the gloves. Note the mechanical rubbing in ofthe topical sanitizers enhances the application and penetration of theavenanthramides into the skin, further enhancing the hand protectiveperformance of the topical sanitizers.

Method 900 in FIG. 9 may be used to provide a coating that includesavenanthramides on the inner surface of disposable gloves. However, thedisclosure and claims herein expressly extend to non-disposable glovesas well. Non-disposable gloves may benefit from an inner coating thatincludes avenanthramides and optionally includes zinc acetate. Forexample, a spray that includes avenanthramides could be used to spraythe interior of a non-disposable glove. Examples of suitablenon-disposable gloves that could benefit from an inner coating thatincludes avenanthramides and optionally includes zinc acetate include:leather work gloves, sports gloves (including baseball mitts, battinggloves, boxing gloves, racquetball gloves, weight lifting gloves, tennisgloves, golf gloves, hockey gloves, etc.), welding gloves, chemicalprotection gloves, gardening gloves, etc.

By providing both topical sanitizers and gloves that includeavenanthramides, a new level of hand protection and treatment isavailable to those who wear gloves extensively. Referring to FIG. 10, amethod 1000 for conditioning skin on hands begins when a personsanitizers his or her hands with a topical sanitizer that includesavenanthramides (step 1010). The person may then don gloves that includean inner coating that includes avenanthramides (step 1020). The personthen removes the gloves (step 1030), and typically discards the gloves.The person may then sanitize his or her hands with a topical sanitizerthat includes avenanthramides (step 1040). If the person does not needto don gloves again (step 1050=NO), method 1000 is done. If the personneeds to don gloves again (step 1050=YES), a determination is madewhether the person needs to sanitize his or her hands again beforedonning the gloves (step 1060). This determination may be made accordingto government health mandates, according to standard practices in theindustry, according to company policy, or according to instructionsprovided with the topical sanitizer and gloves. For example, if theperson just removed gloves in step 1030 and sanitized her hands in step1040 and immediately needs to don gloves again, there may be no need tosanitize the hands again before donning a new pair of gloves (step1060=NO). If there is no need to sanitize the hands again before donninga new pair of gloves (step 1060=NO), method 1000 loops back to step 1020and continues. If, however, the person sanitized her hands in step 1040some time ago, she may need to sanitizer her hands again before donninga new pair of gloves (step 1060=YES). In this case, method 1000 loopsback to step 1010 and continues. Note that a person could use differenttopical sanitizers in steps 1010 and 1040 according to their locationand convenience. Thus, if a doctor is sanitizing her hands beforeexamining a patient in her office, she may use the alcohol-basedsanitizing gel from a bottle available in her office. If the doctor isscrubbing up for surgery, the doctor may use the foam soap. If thedoctor is making rounds in a hospital, the doctor may use thealcohol-free sanitizing foam from a belt dispenser or wristbanddispenser. Method 1000 illustrates that regardless of how many times aperson changes gloves and has to sanitize his or her hands, that personcan enjoy the benefits of avenanthramides, and optionally zinc, on theirhands throughout the day, both when they are wearing gloves and aftertaking the gloves off.

A method for conditioning skin as shown in the detailed steps in FIG. 10is made possible by method 1100 in FIG. 11. First, provide one or moretopical sanitizers that include avenanthramides (step 1110). Next,provide gloves with an inner coating that includes avenanthramides (step1120). Then provide instructions for sanitizing hands using the topicalsanitizer(s) before donning the gloves and after removing the gloves(step 1100). The method for conditioning skin and a corresponding handcare system as described herein may include a single topical sanitizeror may include multiple topical sanitizers. For the specific examplesgiven herein, the hand care system may include one, two or all three ofthe topical sanitizers disclosed herein, namely alcohol-based sanitizinggel, foam soap, and alcohol-free sanitizing foam.

The result of providing both topical sanitizers that includeavenanthramides and gloves that include avenanthramides is an overallhand care system that allows the beneficial avenanthramides to be incontact with a person's skin on their hands during the entire workday.Such a hand care system is shown in block diagram form in FIG. 12. Thehand care system 1200 includes one or more topical sanitizers 1210 thateach includes avenanthramides. For the specific examples detailed above,these include alcohol-based sanitizing gel 1212, foam soap 1214, andalcohol-free sanitizing foam 1216. The hand care system 1200 furtherincludes gloves 1220 with an inner coating that includesavenanthramides. The hand care system 1200 further includes instructions1230 for sanitizing hands using the topical sanitizer(s) before donningthe gloves and after removing the gloves.

The specific formulations above are given by way of example. Manyvariations are possible within the scope of the disclosure and claimsherein, which expressly extend to any suitable formulation that includesavenanthramides and optionally includes zinc acetate.

The topical sanitizers and hand care system disclosed herein providesignificant advantages over currently-known methods discussed above. Byallowing avenanthramides to be in constant contact with a person's skinusing the topical sanitizers, methods and hand care system herein, theskin on the person's hands will be more soft and any skin irritationwill be greatly reduced. The result is much greater comfort to the handsof those who wear gloves extensively.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that many variations are possiblewithin the scope of the claims. Thus, while the disclosure isparticularly shown and described above, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that these and other changes in form and details maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theclaims.

1. A foam soap comprising: cocamidopropyl betaine; PEG-80 sorbitanlaurate; sodium trideceth sulfate; PEG-150 distearate; andavenanthramides.
 2. The foam soap of claim 1 comprising: cocamidopropylbetaine that is 1.0 to 10% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-80 sorbitanlaurate that is 5.0 to 40% by weight of the foam soap; sodium tridecethsulfate that is 5.0 to 40% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-150distearate that is at least 1.0% by weight of the foam soap; andavenanthramides that are at least 0.4 parts per million by weight of thefoam soap.
 3. The foam soap of claim 1 comprising: cocamidopropylbetaine that is 2.0 to 15% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-80 sorbitanlaurate that is 10 to 30% by weight of the foam soap; sodium tridecethsulfate that is 10 to 30% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-150 distearatethat is 1.0 to 10% by weight of the foam soap; and avenanthramides thatare 0.4 to 10 parts per million by weight of the foam soap.
 4. The foamsoap of claim 1 further comprising lactic acid and vitamin E.
 5. Thefoam soap of claim 4 further comprising: cocamidopropyl betaine that isapproximately 3.33% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-80 sorbitan lauratethat is approximately 15% by weight of the foam soap; sodium tridecethsulfate that is approximately 15% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-150distearate that is approximately 1.6% by weight of the foam soap;avenanthramides that are approximately 1.0 parts per million by weightof the foam soap; lactic acid in a quantity sufficient to adjust the pHof the foam soap to approximately 5.0; and vitamin E that isapproximately 0.5% by weight of the foam soap.
 6. The foam soap of claim4 further comprising zinc acetate.
 7. The foam soap of claim 6 furthercomprising water.
 8. The foam soap of claim 7 comprising: water that isapproximately 63% by weight of the foam soap; cocamidopropyl betainethat is approximately 3.33% by weight of the foam soap; PEG-80 sorbitanlaurate that is approximately 15% by weight of the foam soap; sodiumtrideceth sulfate that is approximately 15% by weight of the foam soap;PEG-150 distearate that is approximately 1.6% by weight of the foamsoap; avenanthramides that are approximately 1.0 parts per million byweight of the foam soap; lactic acid in a quantity sufficient to adjustthe pH of the foam soap to approximately 5.0; vitamin E that isapproximately 0.5% by weight of the foam soap; and zinc acetate that isapproximately 0.20% by weight of the foam soap.
 9. A sanitizing foamcomprising: cocamidopropyl betaine; PEG-80 sorbitan laurate; sodiumtrideceth sulfate; PEG-150 distearate; benzalkonium chloride; andavenanthramides.
 10. The sanitizing foam of claim 9 comprising:cocamidopropyl betaine that is from 0.16 to 1.67% by weight of thesanitizing foam; PEG-80 sorbitan laurate that is from 0.83 to 6.67% byweight of the sanitizing foam; sodium trideceth sulfate that is from0.83 to 6.67% by weight of the sanitizing foam; PEG-150 distearate thatis at least 16% by weight of the sanitizing foam; benzalkonium chloridethat is 0.1 to 1.0% by weight of the sanitizing foam; andavenanthramides that are at least 0.4 parts per million by weight of thesanitizing foam.
 11. The sanitizing foam of claim 9 comprising:cocamidopropyl betaine that is from 0.33 to 2.5% by weight of thesanitizing foam; PEG-80 sorbitan laurate that is from 1.67 to 5.0% byweight of the sanitizing foam; sodium trideceth sulfate that is from1.67 to 5.0% by weight of the sanitizing foam; PEG-150 distearate thatis from 0.16 to 1.6% by weight of the sanitizing foam; benzalkoniumchloride that is 0.1 to 0.2% by weight of the sanitizing foam; andavenanthramides that are from 0.4 to 10 parts per million by weight ofthe sanitizing foam.
 12. The sanitizing foam of claim 9 furthercomprising lactic acid and vitamin E.
 13. The sanitizing foam of claim12 comprising: cocamidopropyl betaine that is approximately 0.55% byweight of the sanitizing foam; PEG-80 sorbitan laurate that isapproximately 2.5% by weight of the sanitizing foam; sodium tridecethsulfate that is approximately 2.5% by weight of the sanitizing foam;PEG-150 distearate that is approximately 0.27% by weight of thesanitizing foam; benzalkonium chloride that is approximately 0.13% byweight of the sanitizing foam; avenanthramides that are approximately1.0 parts per million by weight of the sanitizing foam; vitamin E thatis approximately 0.5% by weight of the sanitizing foam; and lactic acidin a quantity sufficient to bring the pH of the sanitizing foam toapproximately 5.0.
 14. The sanitizing foam of claim 12 furthercomprising zinc acetate.
 15. The sanitizing foam of claim 14 furthercomprising water.
 16. The sanitizing foam of claim 15 comprising: waterthat is approximately 90% by weight of the sanitizing foam;cocamidopropyl betaine that is approximately 0.55% by weight of thesanitizing foam; PEG-80 sorbitan laurate that is approximately 2.5% byweight of the sanitizing foam; sodium trideceth sulfate that isapproximately 2.5% by weight of the sanitizing foam; PEG-150 distearatethat is approximately 0.27% by weight of the sanitizing foam;benzalkonium chloride that is approximately 0.13% by weight of thesanitizing foam; avenanthramides that are approximately 1.0 parts permillion by weight of the sanitizing foam; vitamin E that isapproximately 0.5% by weight of the sanitizing foam; zinc acetate thatis approximately 0.2% by weight of the sanitizing foam; and lactic acidin a quantity sufficient to bring the pH of the sanitizing foam toapproximately 5.0.